Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has rejected a colossal contract offer from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal this summer. The Portuguese midfielder turned down a four-year deal reportedly worth a total of £133 million, which would have equated to a weekly wage of around £640,000.
Bruno Fernandes is now in the final year of his existing contract at Old Trafford, though the club holds an option to extend it by a further twelve months. His decision comes as Manchester United seek to bounce back from an opening-day defeat, which has left them 16th in the Premier League table with zero points from one game. The team has a goal difference of minus two after conceding twice and failing to score, putting them six points behind early leaders Manchester City.
Why did Bruno Fernandes reject the offer?
Fernandes, who joined United from Sporting CP for £67.6 million in January 2020, has previously shown a reluctance to move to the Saudi Pro League. This latest rejection follows significant reported interest from other European clubs, including Galatasaray, Juventus, and AC Milan. However, Manchester United did not entertain any offers from those sides. The 31-year-old Portugal international has become a central figure at the club, making 328 appearances, scoring 107 goals, and providing 108 assists. He has won two trophies during his time with the 20-time English champions.
His commitment is a major boost for manager Erik ten Hag, especially with several players currently sidelined. The club's injuries list includes C. Baleba, A. Diallo, T. Heaton, M. Ugarte, M. De Ligt, and M. Mount.
How important is Fernandes to Manchester United?
The attacking midfielder's importance was underlined by a phenomenal individual campaign last season. Bruno Fernandes broke the Premier League record for most assists in a single season, providing 21 in 35 games. Across all competitions, he contributed 9 goals and 22 assists in 37 matches. This form earned him a clean sweep of individual honours: the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, the FWA Footballer of the Year, and the Premier League Player of the Season awards.
Despite this personal success, club legend Patrice Evra has called for Fernandes to elevate the team's overall performance. "I want Bruno to play a part of the team, to be the maestro, to control the game, to dictate the game," Evra said. He added, "Bruno will keep winning all the personal awards, but I want him to make his teammates play better."
What happens next for Manchester United?
Fernandes's decision provides stability as United prepare for their next Premier League fixture, an away trip to face Everton on September 6th. You can view the full schedule on our fixtures page. Everton currently sit 4th in the table, presenting a tough early-season challenge. The immediate focus for Ten Hag will be integrating his available players and finding a winning formula to climb the standings.
With the Saudi transfer window now closed, speculation around Fernandes's immediate future has ended. His rejection of such a lucrative deal signals a clear short-term commitment to Manchester United's project. The club's hierarchy will now likely turn its attention to securing his long-term future at Old Trafford beyond the current contractual arrangement.
